What have I become?

[SaMAlex]

I have been riding BMX for a long time. I have had many bikes, and they have all had many parts changed on them during the time I used them. I have always kept my bikes in good working order, but never really been worried about how they look, or the aesthetic condition of them.

Last year I went to the RAD Milton Keynes event for the first time. I took some of my bikes that I thought people might like to see, I even ended up entering 3 of them in the Show n Shine, even tho I was racing on 2 of them and a mate had a roll round the track on the third.

WELL ..... Sometime last year I got hold of a frame that I had been looking for for a long time. They dont come up that often and I was very pleased to get it. The frame was in amazing survivor condition and I planned to put it together in true S&M style, using mostly used parts that I had. When I dug them out, most of the parts I had intended to use were actually really knackered so I had to find replacements. As I collected more and more of the things I needed, the new parts were just TOO good. I found myself swapping more and more of the used parts I was going to use cos they looked out of place next to the better bits. This process escalated until I have found myself in the unfamiliar position I am in now; an actual show build. I have never spent so much time cleaning old BMX parts. Tonight I even cleaned a tire! Wtf?

I have come too far now to leave the bike unfinished, even though I know it will still be a long long way from some of the amazing show builds we are used to seeing on RAD. What I do know is I cant see me building another bike that isn’t for riding, cos if you don’t have the money for all NOS, its just too much hard work!

Now, where is my black marker pen, I’ve just spotted another chip on that seat clamp!

[harris]

rad   

[JT71]

lol.

I know how you feel alex.

but at least your chipped seat clamp is black.

my chipped frame is neon lime.

no patching that.

looking forward to your build mate. 

[Waxintaxin]

lol good one

its nice to see a show build

[Steve P]

I loved the way you typed that    I think most of us have travelled a similar journey at some point 

When do we see the bike then ... any sneaky pics available yet 

Steve

[magna13]

 

[generallee]

you have become... one of us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[subversion]

 


your doomed mate!

[eamonn]

lol.

I know how you feel alex.

but at least your chipped seat clamp is black.

my chipped frame is neon lime.

no patching that.

looking forward to your build mate. 

Use a highlighter pen Joe

[SaMAlex]

When do we see the bike then ... any sneaky pics available yet 

You can wait till MK, but be quick cos Im not even sure I will make it through the whole weekend without taking it for a spin round the track!

[Steve P]

I'm looking forward to that then ... roll on MK 

[superbikedan]

alex you are now a true train spotter in the bmx world

anorack is the new you i hope you havnt marked those bars

i painted for ya

[SaMAlex]

anorack is the new you i hope you havnt marked those bars
i painted for ya

Marked them? No, but I spent half an hour putting 2 tiny decals on them, with a photo infront of me showing me where to put them. Now they are back in the bubble wrap till Im ready to fit them. Its a nightmare, I tell ya

[superbikedan]

   one way on the kool metre and thats down for you

[Bob_Acid]

hehe it's a bug Alex. The great thing about restoring/building is you can devote many hours to your love of BMX without actually getting on one. I take nothing away from actually getting out on a bike, It's just another angle to bmx i spoze.

Anyway enough waffling, lets see some pics. 

[JT71]

Alex is spot with what he says isn't he?

you start a build, you say "it's a budget build, i got some used bits, they'll do"

but once you buy one new piece it starts to snowball and next thingyou know is you won't be happy unless it's all NOS parts.

 

[nosepickben]

Yeah, i was the same alex. The first non-newschool bike i built was a project to restore an old race frame which had the geometry i wanted to ride skateparks on, it was a bit weak but i built it with a mixture of newschool + nice oldschool bits, apart from the black 14mm axle wheels, it was all white and gold, rode it for a year or so, ran it's course so to speak, then i went on an s&m laf. Then i got another race frame, (one i wanted bitd) and built that with nos parts, that was the robinson i raced at mk07, it's got some rare bits on it that i really ought to have preserved but i'm firmly of the opinion that these bikes need to be ridden. I now have 4 "oldschool" restos and only one is unridden (it's a tawt to clean!) I will admit to putting ratty pedals onto a nice bike if i go out on it so if it gets crashed then the nos ones don't get scraped. I haven't ridden the robinson or been to a track since mk07, spose i better get my ass in gear, 3 weeks to go and all that.....   

[SaMAlex]

hehe it's a bug Alex. The great thing about restoring/building is you can devote many hours to your love of BMX without actually getting on one. I take nothing away from actually getting out on a bike, It's just another angle to bmx i spoze.

Na, no bug caught here. Infact, its put me off ever trying to build a real show quality bike ever again! 
Id rather throw a bike together in order to get out on it as soon as posible! I want it to run nice, but time spent polishing is riding time wasted


(each to their own and all that, I love looking at other peoples amazing builds  )